RENDERING VIA CITY OF MAITLAND
Maitland City Council approved a $3.5 million contract on May 11 to extend Independence Lane one block north, completing a pedestrian corridor the city has been planning since the late 1990s. The council voted 5-0 to hire Burkhardt Construction Inc. for the Independence Lane North Streetscape Extension, which will bring roughly a year of construction to the block between Horatio Avenue and George Street.
The project will add nearly 600 feet of streetscape, matching the existing downtown corridor between Packwood and Horatio Avenue. The work includes wider sidewalks, decorative pavers, street trees, landscaping, decorative lighting, and street furniture, including benches, bike racks, and trash receptacles.
The $3,527,000 budget is funded through the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency trust fund and a $500,000 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
In 2020, the city opened Independence Square, a nearly two-acre park on Independence Lane featuring public restrooms, an outdoor fountain, seating, walkways, and an open event lawn, as a sort of de facto Main Square for the town. The street and park host community events, including Getdown Downtown street parties, the Maitland Farmers Market, and Movies in the Park.
Businesses on or near Independence Lane include Brewlando Brewery, Houndstooth Kitchen and Eatery, Fleet Feet, Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream, Parea Greek Taverna, Starbucks, and Floyd’s 99 Barbershop.
